Question about paint strippers?

[Steves94Z28]

Hey everyone, can anyone tell me if it is ok to use a spray on paint stripper to remove paint from a fiberglass SS hood? I have used these type of strippers before on metal parts with great success but have never tried fiberglass. Will it harm the gel coat under the paint? Can anyone recommend a good stripper?

[Lucky SOB]

Hmm... The shop that painted mine just block sanded it down until it was perfectly smooth, then primed and blocked again. Why would you need to strip it? I'm almost positive you'll screw up the gel coat.

[Steves94Z28]

Hmm... The shop that painted mine just block sanded it down until it was perfectly smooth, then primed and blocked again. Why would you need to strip it? I'm almost positive you'll screw up the gel coat.

Lucky, the only reason I was considering stripping it was because it has a couple of spider web cracks in the paint but I guess I could just sand it, I have all air sanders. Can u give me some advice as far as what grit to start and finish with and should I just dry sand or wet sand or a combination of both? Also, what color primer is the best, black, grey or red?

[mcalus]

I thought you were in the body business?

Don't strip it unless you have an adhesion issue. Even then yes you'll go through the gelcoat. The stripper isn't just going to stop.

start with some 150 grit maybe finish in a 240 or 320.

why would primer color matter? You should seal the entire hood anyways, the color of the sealer will matter. What color is your car? Typically if you have a bright color car you will use a lighter gray sealer, if its a dark car it'll be a darker gray sealer.


the only thing you should wetsand is the primer and the final coat of clear before you rub it.

[Steves94Z28]

I thought you were in the body business?

Don't strip it unless you have an adhesion issue. Even then yes you'll go through the gelcoat. The stripper isn't just going to stop.

start with some 150 grit maybe finish in a 240 or 320.

why would primer color matter? You should seal the entire hood anyways, the color of the sealer will matter. What color is your car? Typically if you have a bright color car you will use a lighter gray sealer, if its a dark car it'll be a darker gray sealer.


the only thing you should wetsand is the primer and the final coat of clear before you rub it.

Mcalus, I'm not really in the body business, I have just done it before but wasn't sure about the best way to re do this hood. The car is medium patriot red in color so going by what you said I am assuming I would use a dark grey primer?.....would black also work?

[mcalus]

Black would be too dark. A dark gray would be fine.

[Gregs_gsxr]

I wouldnt strip it, just sand it, if the cracks are big enough you need to stop them with a small pilot hole other wise they will just keep on going. The primer/sealer depend on the maker will tell you to use the gray scale, or you can use a light sealer for lighter colors and dark with darker colors. IF you not familiar with the gray scale, what it is in a nut shell is taking a color turning into a black and white, what ever shade of gray the color of the car turns to would be the color of primer/sealer you would want to use in order to get that same color.

Im personally using a white epoxy primer, then white primer/sealer blocking that the pure white, custom mix with no pigment, just pure white, then a high quality clear with UV protection. This is to ensure the color stays white and doesnt turn to a yellowish tint over time in the sun.